Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

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New videos, new screens, new everything! Plus, a first look at Spidey weaving his web on Dreamcast.

By IGN Staff

Today's batch of Tony Hawk 2 media features a new set of courses and something you probably weren't expecting to ever see on Dreamcast: Spider-Man himself. As detailed in this IGNPSX story the original web-slinger is unlockable in Tony Hawk 2, and skateboarding fanboy Chris Carle spent some quality time with the Dreamcast rev doing just that. Along the way, he seems to have come to grips with the Dreamcast control scheme, and can be seen pulling off some next level tricks and stunts - check it all out below.

UPDATE: 09/29/2000

It seems that I've been waiting for Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 for Dreamcast my entire life. In reality, it's only been a handful of months, but they have been months of serious jonesing, I assure you. Likewise, around the office, the anticipation surrounding the game has been unparalleled. As I played through the Playstation version here, a steady stream of editors would stop by and gawk at it, then summarily tell me they were waiting for the DC version. "I don't know, guys," I would repeatedly say. "This game is pretty rad." Turns out that the editors who said they would wait are wise beyond their years.

Let's get right down to business. Tony Hawk Pro Skater for Dreamcast is the best version of the best skateboarding game of all time. Period. I say this after having played through seven of the ten levels in the game: it is superior to its predecessor, superior to both the PC and PSX versions, and a contender for game of the year on the console. I was a bit worried that the game would be half-assed on to the Dreamcast, but Treyarch has done an amazing job with it. All of the gripes one could legitimately have with the PSX version have seemingly been wiped away.

Of course, great game play was the strong point on the PSX. Indeed, no matter what platform you play a Tony Hawk game on the experience will be rewarding. However, the Dreamcast version adds even more to an already amazing game. For one thing, it is gorgeous as all get-out. The textures have been tweaked to perfection, the skaters are amazing, and the overall crispness of the graphics has been improved, not only over the PSX version, but last year's game as well.

In addition, the framerate is smooth as greased Kevlar. If someone asked me about the framerate on the PSX version, I would have to say, "What's the opposite of smooth?" Actually, that's more than a bit harsh. The frame rate more than performs, considering the hardware. What I would actually say is "Wow, the Dreamcast version exceeds my expectations." Even levels that chugged a bit in early builds have been cleaned up. What's more, the pop-up that plagued the Playstation THPS2 has been improved as well. Literally, all of the minor problems that were pointed out in the stellar PSX review of the game have been addressed here. In that review [see this story], IGNPSX's Dave Smith gave the game a 9.6. You do the math.

For those unfamiliar with the Playstation version of THPS2, there are eight new levels and two secret unlockable levels (Chopper Drop and Skate Heaven). In addition, there are Park Editor and Create Skater features that make for almost infinite replay value.

All the same features are in this version. The DC improvements are largely in the details. Where there were bitmappy textures in the PSX game, the DC paints beautiful stone and wood textures, scratches and rough edges, and gleaming rails. In the Marseille, France competition level, there are a series of bowls that have been improved notably. The gouges and smudges are all there. You feel as if these hollows have really been sessioned. In the Skatestreet competition level, the wooden bowl is just that: a mega-detailed conglomerate of plywood that really impresses. Philadelphia is also amazing, especially the Phillyside skate park, a Burnside-esque concrete paradise that has been skated hard over the years.

Another mind-blowing detail is the lovely shadows cast by the skaters as they tear it up. They are impressive enough on flat ground, but bend and shift over edges and dull on softer surfaces. Perfectly dithered, they really help pump up the realism. In addition to the shadows cast by players, the level lighting is also beautiful. Skating at sunset in Marseille is completely unique from sessioning School II in broad daylight. I could gush for pages on this alone, but you get the point.

The sound has also been improved. Each grind sounds different, depending not only on the style of grind, but the surface you're shredding. The song list is the same, including tracks from Public Enemy/Anthrax, Bad Religion, Naughty By Nature, Powerman 5000 and Rage Against the Machine. Pumping through the DC, it all sounds very good.

Man, oh man. I didn't know if it could get any better, but it has. I'm going to take this puppy home over the weekend and worship it. Come Monday, there will be a shrine in my room (candles and everything) dedicated to this masterpiece.

Before the original had even come out, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 was announced for the Dreamcast. Many people found themselves wondering why Activision would choose to announce a sequel before the original had even been released, and some of us still do. Nonetheless, before the original even hits the stores we have got all the juicy information on the Dreamcast release of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.

The Tony Hawk sequel will not be getting any fancy name like Tony Hawk 2: Hawk Harder - it's simply being labeled as the next digit in the series. Being an all out sequel and not a simple upgrade, you must be wondering just what it will offer that will be fresh and unique (since sequels normally try and be more than just simple upgrades). The answer to your inquiry is, to put it simply, a lot. Tony Hawk 2 features a heck of a lot more, ranging from the newest game modes down to the tiniest customizable detail. Without any further waffling, let's just go ahead and tear into it.

Tony Hawk 2 will have a cast of 12 skaters, including the spokesman himself, Mr. Hawk. Joining him will be the cast from the original title, as well as three new faces for us to enjoy. And when Activision says "enjoy" in reference to these skaters, they mean more than just being entertained by their signature moves and ranging attributes, like the last title. You see, in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, you can actually take the existing skaters and alter them in numerous ways. These alterations range from changing their outfits to actually tinkering with their existing move lists. Oh, and in case you aren't happy with the selectable cast of characters, you can go right ahead and make your own kickflippin' pig-evadin' hooligan yourself. It is unclear how many custom skaters you can have in Tony Hawk 2 or just how the create-a-skater will function (i.e.- will you be able to select from a variety of heads?), but all this should become more clear as the game nears its release.

Once you have picked or created your skater, you can expect to have a lot more fun with him in Tony Hawk 2 as opposed to the original. The trick system isn't being entirely revamped for the sequel, but is being expanded upon greatly to enable whole new sets of combinations. Outside of there being more grabs, kicks, and grinds, the latest addition to the Hawk series is the manual. A manual, being another term for a "wheelie", allows your skater to continue a combination indefinitely, providing he can maintain his balance while performing it. For example, if you come off a great gap/grab/grind combo, upon hitting the ground you can perform the manual, which will extend the combination out into the next trick you perform. The only limit lies in your ability to control the skaters.

And control them you will throughout Tony Hawk 2's massive environments. Much like the first title, the backgrounds will be almost fully interactive, with various gaps to be discovered and random objects to be grinded. Unlike the first "America only" title, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is going global baby! That's right, as much as we all loved to skate in lovely Portland, this time around we will enjoy the sights and sounds of other countries, as we thrash everything possible in their famous skate parks. Along with the foreign venues, Tony Hawk 2 will include such famous local hot spots like Manhattan, Skate Street Ventura, and Philadelphia's Love Park. Like the original Tony Hawk, expect every single place to be full of a variety of shortcuts, secret areas, ramps and interactive objects. Activision hit upon a successful gaming aspect when they created the environments of last year's Tony Hawk title; this year's offering should blow its older brother out of the water.

The largest addition to the Tony Hawk series actually concerns the skate parks - namely, you'll be able to build your own parks thanks to the highly anticipated "Create-A-Park" mode. In this mode, you can use a variety of ramps, ledges, rails, and other objects to make your own dream course. There are hundreds of available parts to choose from, and the only limitation is your imagination. Maybe you felt that the skate park in Chicago from Tony Hawk could have used another ramp, or maybe you just want to create your own insane never-ending grindfest. The bottom line here is that you can go right ahead and do whatever the heck you want! Infinite replay value baby!

In addition to this mode, you'll find numerous other new modes of play, both for solo players and multiple players. The largest announcement for the sequel is the all new tournament feature. In an upgrade of the original's Chicago, Portland, and Area 51 levels, the 8-player capable tournament mode will allow you to compete against your friends in a judged skating competition. So far this feature is looking to be accomplished via alternating play, as there is no mention of any online features in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2. Other additions to the multiplayer game will be an upgraded version of "H-O-R-S-E" and a "skate tag" that will feature some rather brutal gameplay. For the single players out there, the career mode is being improved upon in Hawk 2. Of course, the instant replay feature will remain intact in the Tony Hawk sequel.

Add all these changes and upgrades into the mix with a soundtrack featuring some awesome alternative rock and you have an all out amazing game experience coming out from Activision. This ain't no Super Street Fighter II Turbo Hyper Fighting upgrade here folks, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is an entirely new offering all of its own.